Game of the Week- Saturday

Coming off blowout defeats at the hands of Washington and Stanford, respectively, Cal and Washington State may seem like a surprise choice for “Game of the Week.” However, it is because of those losses- and the desperation each team now faces- that makes this such a big game for both teams.

Cal heads to the Palouse losers of their past two games. A heartbreaking loss in triple overtime to Arizona put a damper on their previous four game winning streak. And then Thursday in Seattle Cal simply laid an egg, allowing Washington to jump out to a massive early lead. That said, Cal has been a surprise team in the Pac-10 this year. Legendary head coach Mike Montgomery has once again worked his magic with a youthful set of talented players. Yet, it is the veterans who are providing a calming presence for Cal. Juniors Harper Kamp and Jorge Gutierrez lead the charge for the Golden Bears offensively, averaging 14.8 and 13.6 points per game, respectively.

Washington State will look to bounce back from a debilitating loss to Stanford. The Cougars once again came out flat in the energy department, allowing the Cardinal to jump out to an 8-0 lead and eventually reached 19 points before the first half ended. But the Cougars did fight back to pull within just one point in the second half before a late game slump allowed Stanford to pull away. If the Cougars want to keep their at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament alive, they’ll need to start winning games in a hurry, starting with Cal.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

One factor to watch in this game is the health of freshman guard Allen Crabbe. Crabbe reportedly sustained a mild concussion in the Bears’ game against Washington and his status for Saturday is not yet known. If Crabbe is unable to go it would be a huge boon for a Washington State squad that witnessed him drop 30 points on them in their last meeting. Furthermore, should Crabbe not be able to go, the Bears will need someone else to step up. The two most likely options for that are freshmen Richard Solomon and Emerson Murray. However, neither players has provided much offense for Cal yet this season.

KEY PLAYERS

Klay Thompson- The Cougars are at their best when Thompson and fellow junior Faisal Aden are knocking down shots. The two explosive offensive options are a deadly combination when on, but the Cougars have struggled when both are not. Strong shooting performances by at least one of the two would greatly aid the Cougars chances at beating Cal.

Harper Kamp- Kamp provides a strong offensive presence for the Bears against an undersized Cougars' frontline. If Washington State is forced to double Kamp, it could leave Markhuri Sanders-Frison open for easy dunks.